Times Change
by Scorch-X
Summary: For many years, Richaado and Rumiko were good friends, but as time continued, they felt diferently about each other. One day, fate catches up with them in the Crown Game Center. Oneshot


Time changes all things. It is an inevitable part of existence. Buildings are constructed, weathered, and crumble, before finally collapsing. In that way, human beings are similar- they are born, mature into adolescence, adulthood, and their elder years, and finally die.

The human race had seen many changes in the first two decades of the 21st Century. The human lifespan had advanced to an average 103.4 years, humans had set foot on Mars, Phobos and Deimos, the dwarf planet Sedna was discovered on the very edge of the solar system, and Japan had seen its first three hoshinauts land on the Moon. The breakthrough in space ship propulsion known as Hyper-Drive had opened the entire solar system for exploration, yet a journey to the nearest star was impossible.

Surprisingly, the Juuban district of Tokyo, Japan, had not seen much change in the 22 years since what the people of Tokyo called "The Galaxia Crisis." Kenji and Ikuko Tsukino still lived in the same green house they raised their Usagi and Shingo, both now happily married and on their own, in. The Hikawa Shrine still had a miko named Rei, though she too had married. And, to the delight of many, the Crown Game Center still remained a popular youth hangout. 

Richaado "Rick" Gunthaa, the 18 year old son of Rei Hino and Richard Gunther, was no stranger to change. He had grown from a sickly young boy to a strong, powerful young man, trained by his father ("Just in case," he would cryptically respond) in swordfighting. A once-feeble frame had grown trim and muscular, honed by several years of swinging swords. Rick had set that sword skill to practice against his friends, all of whom had also been trained in various melee arts.

Today, he found himself as he usually did- spending a rare free day at the Crown. Unlike the other days, he wasn't asking the owner's daughter for anything to drink, nor was he playing any of the video games. He was simply waiting, sitting in an empty booth, for one of his friends.

Where is she? Rick thought. She said she'd be here at one... she's usually never late. 

Staring vacantly across the booth into the empty seat wasn't helping him much, so Rick stood up, intending to forget his troubles and play some Gradius. He only got as far as standing up when he heard the door chime. Out of instinct, Rick turned towards the door, hoping he would see his friend.

He saw a purple-haired young woman enter the Crown, her bright blue eyes looking around, eventually locking glances with Rick's own purple eyes.

Rick's friend had found him. A bit nervously, he waved her over, unable to take his eyes off her. When she sat in the other seat, Rick simply said, "Afternoon, Rumi-chan."

Rumiko Shunoa, daughter of Ami Muzino and Christian Shunoa. Rick considered her to be his best friend, but he had intimate thoughts of her. These thoughts weren't helped by the fact that Rumiko was wearing a skimpy green tank top and a short pleated blue skirt.

Naturally, Rumiko often fantasized about Rick- the Kaman Rider shirt and blue jeans he was wearing just helped her imagine the muscles she dreamed about.

"Good afternoon, Rick-kun," Rumiko replied politely. "Sorry if I worried you- I just had to draw something for my brother."

"It's all right," Rick said. "You said you needed to talk to me about something?" 

Rumiko nodded. "Hai... I feel a bit weird asking you this, but... Rick-kun? Have you ever been in love with someone?" 

Rick sweatdropped at the question, taken completely off guard. He had feelings for Rumiko, but he had never told her about them. "I... yeah. Once," he finally said. "Thing is, I never told her."

"Oh..." A hint of despair crept into Rumiko's voice, and immediately, Rick was thinking, "Don't worry, Rumi-chan. I'll cheer you up." After about a minute, Rumiko continued, "Kinda like me. Rick-kun... I... I think I'm in love with Shinji."

"Shinji?!" Rick shouted, surprising the other patrons. "Rumi-chan... does he know?" 

"No!" Rumiko's head shook, her ponytail waving back and forth. "I haven't told him. But... I don't know how to put it."

A tear slowly formed in Rumiko's eye, drifting down her cheek, passing her nose, then her mouth. Rick watched it, suddenly stopping when he got to Rumiko's mouth.

That's odd... Rick thought. Rumiko never wears makeup. But today... lipstick. Something's up.

"It just doesn't feel right, these thoughts I have of Shinji..." More tears started flowing. "Rick-kun, what should I do?"

"Well," Rick started, "what is it about him that you love?"

"He's a bit rebellious..." Rumiko frowned, and Rick's vision was filled with Rumiko's lips forming a small crescent. "...He's strong, too." Just like you, Rick-kun... but... I can't tell you.

"Okay, that's a start." Rick was kicking himself. Why am I doing this? I know she's my friend, but... I don't want her to fall in love with Shinji. He's my friend, too, but love is war, dammit! "Rumi-chan, what do you know about him?" 

"Not a whole lot. Just that he lives with his mom and his cat, Artemis." Rumiko sighed. "He doesn't know me. Not as well as you do, Rick-kun."

"Is that why you don't feel right? Because you don't know each other?"

"It's not just that! ...I think he just loves me because I'm easy on the eyes."

In the back of Rick's mind, he heard a small voice say, Tell her.

"Rumi-chan, I'll admit, you are good-looking," Rick said. Tell her! "You're more than just a piece of ass for some pervert to ogle, though!"

This time, Rumiko was stunned. He just said... I was beautiful? Rick said that?! Sweatdropping, Rumiko blinked back some more tears. "Rick-kun," she squeaked. "...you're trying to tell me something, aren't you?"

Tell her, Richard. Tell her how you feel. Tell her how you care. How you dream. Do you really want Rumiko to marry someone else? Do you want to spend the rest of your life mourning what could have been?

"Rumi-chan... I..." 

Tell her!

"I..."

Tell her! 

"...I..."

Tell her, damn you!

"Rumi-chan, I love you!"

Every single person in Crown Game Center stopped dead in their tracks. Even Reiko Furuhata, the manager, stopped what she was doing, surprised at Rick's outburst. He didn't care. He ignored everyone's gaze as he took Rumiko's hands into his, looking her in the eyes.

"I'm not just saying this because of what you just said about Shinji! When we're sad, we cheer each other up... We tease each other, we gift each other, we help each other... Rumi-chan, isn't that what couples do?!" 

"...Rick...kun?" Tears once again started creeping from Rumiko's eyes.

"...You're crying..." Taking a deep breath, Rick let go of Rumiko's hands, trying to brush Rumiko's tears away. "Rumi-chan, I want to be the one who dries your tears. I want to be the one who gives you a hand when you're down. I want to be there for you- every minute of every day!" 

Some of the crowd of teenagers scoffed at Rick, some laughed. He ignored the insults and catcalls each member of the crowd shouted. 

"Drama queen!" "Grow a pair!" "He's trying too hard."

"Rick-kun..." The tears kept coming, this time with a blush that crept across the bridge of Rumiko's nose. Her heart started racing. "I didn't know you thought that way about me..." For the first time since she set foot in the Crown, Rumiko smiled. "I didn't know we thought the same way about each other..."

"'About each other?' You mean..." Rick's eyes brightened.

"...I love you, too!" Rumiko cried out enthusiastically, throwing herself into Rick's arms. He caught her, laughing, swinging her around him in a circle with her own momentum. Setting her back on her feet, Rick noticed his arms remained around Rumiko's waist, the bare skin of her midriff soft against his forearms. Rumiko's own arms were at Rick's neck and shoulders, and she smiled, her heart beating faster and faster.

They stood in the middle of the Crown, holding each other close, looking into each others' eyes. Finally, Rumiko stood on her tiptoes, bringing her face up to Rick's.

All Rick could think of were Rumiko's lips, two thin red curves parted just so, pleading with him. Who am I to refuse, he thought. He then leaned forward, bringing his lips to meet Rumiko's. A bit surprised at first, Rumiko closed her eyes, allowing herself to enjoy what was happening. The two held their kiss, before Rick finally pulled away. They were both blushing.

"Rick-kun..." 

"Rumi-chan... I... um..."

Rumiko took advantage of Rick's confusion, kissing Rick again with such force that they fell back into their booth. All thoughts of the crowd were forgotten as Rumiko kept trying to slide her tongue into Rick's mouth. Finally, almost sadly, their kiss was broken.

"Rumi-chan... you taste like sakura blossoms..."

"And you tasted kinda like lemons."

"That was my first kiss... and my second..." Rick said, surprised.

"Yours too, Rick-kun?"

"I hope it's not the last..." 

"Not the last what?" A female voice came from above the two, and a large shadow fell across the booth.

"Err, Rick? Rumiko? Just what are you two doing there?" Another new voice, this one male.

Sweatdropping, Rick and Rumiko looked at the source of the voices. A green haired girl, Rumiko's older sister Nara, Nara's cocky blonde haired boyfriend Duraiku Tsukino, Rick's brown haired sister Shera Gunthaa, and her greenish blonde haired boyfriend Shido "Cid" Umino stood at the edge of the booth, staring at them. After a few seconds, they piled into the booth, trapping the two.

"Rick-san," Cid asked, "Have you been fooling around with Rumiko, or did you decide to start wearing lipstick today?"

"Oh, my big brother had his first kiss!" Shera squealed. "Was it fun? Did you like it?!"

"I don't have to answer this, do I?" Rick wearily asked.

"Naah, we can pester Rumiko. It's about time you two got together!" Nara said, offering her a friendly jab.

"Now we can work on your brother!" 

"Don't tell Motoki! He'll kill Rick-kun!"

The four newcomers all laughed, savouring the plight they put the new couple in.

"So, when are you two getting married, Rick-san?"

"We just started being a couple!" 

"Any plans for kids, Rumiko?"

"Kyaaaah, leave us alone, you hentai perverts!"

Rick and Rumiko both changed that day. They no longer considered each other best friends. Instead, with one kiss, they had become a couple. She didn't know it just yet, but Rick would literally become her knight in shining armour.

Duraiku never mentioned it, but that day, he swore he could see an aura connecting Rick to Rumiko.

Parentage

Richaado Gunthaa/Shera Gunthaa: Rei Hino and Rickard Gunther

Rumiko Shunoa/Nara Shunoa/Motoki Shunoa: Ami Muzino and Christian Shunoa

Duraiku Tsukino: Shingo Tsukino and Hotaru Tomoe

Shido Umino: Gurio Umino and Nara Osaka


End file.
